Demons Examined in Keats' Lamia Coleridge's and Christabel
Myth, mystery, and passion work together to create powerful creatures ofdeception in John Keats' poem, "Lamia" and Samuel Coleridge's "Christabel."Each poem is an allegory that depicts females possessing disdainfulqualities to illustrate the power of women. This paper will examinecharacteristics of each female and how they use their power to achieve The poems are similar in that each one contains gothic elements and atsome point, each woman appears to be a serpent. Michael Schmidt, author ofThe Lives of the Poets, says that Lamia is a human drama, "despite itsgothic and magical elements" (Schmidt 416). It is important to note thatKeats does not moralize "Lamia," stating that the poem is a "metaphor ofemotion" (417). In fact, according to M. H Abrams, editor of The NortonAnthology of English Literature, Keats intended for "Lamia" to present aninevitably fatal situation" (Abrams 827). Schmidt also notes that"Christabel" is a ghostly romance by which a technique of rapt questioningand breathless images establishes dramatic tension" (383). Thesestatements help us understand the dynamics of the each character and italso encourages us to make up our own minds about what is
Thislink to mythology might also play a part in Keats determination to makethis creature a female. Forinstance, we are told that Christabel sees before her, a damsel bright, Dressed in a silken robe of white, That shadowy in the moonlight shone: The neck that made that white robe wan, Her stately neck, and arms were bare; Her blue-veined feet unsandaled were; And wildly glittered here and there The gems entangled in her hair. Both Lamia and Geraldine encounter different fates and by makingthese character women, each poet is able to exemplify the power women canharness. Hermes showsLamia sympathy because he, too, is looking for his love, a nymph. He states that practically all of her qualitieshave an opposite, "real or potential" (554). We feel even more disgustwhen Sir Leoline embraced Geraldine, "prolonging it with a joyous look"(450). "Christabel" is atragedy of sorts. Another question concerningLamia is whether she is mortal or not, or "perhaps something that falls inbetween, or, more probably, something essentially different from eithercategory though capable of participating in both," (554) says Bate. Certainly, the woman was able to coerce Lycius to abandon hispursuit of philosophy and live with her in the majestic palace, but a womanwith evil intentions did not trick him. The first thing we are nevercompletely sure of is if Lamia is really a woman or a snake. It is easy to assume the womandestroyed him, but after Lamia vanishes, "his arms were empty of delight"(307). Coleridge is demonstrating the extent of each woman's nature--Christabel represents complete innocence and naivete, while Geraldinerepresents persistence in her devious plan. This scene is long and filled with fascinating imagery. This image isstriking as we generally associate snakes with a daunting hiss.
Common topics in this essay:
Christabel Lamia,
Coleridge's Geraldine,
Lamia Hermes,
Bate Keats,
Sir Leoline,
Keats Coleridge,
James Boulger,
Hermes Lamia,
Perkins Lamia,
Romantic Writers,
sir leoline,
abrams 827,
females possessing disdainful,
powerful creatures deception,
power women,
perkins 1188,
keats coleridge,
true identity,
possessing disdainful qualities,
possessing disdainful,
demon's mistress demon's,
disdainful qualities,
mistress demon's self,
keats employs,
beginning poem,
|
Acceptance Essays
